The Interpol website shows the updated red notice after the arrest of Luka Rocco Magnotta, who is suspected of killing a man and posting body parts to various locations around Canada. Lawyers for Magnotta face a tough challenge given the blanket media coverage and apparent video evidence of the crime.

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Whoever takes on high-profile Montreal murder suspect Luka Rocco Magnotta's defence will be faced with a big challenge given the existence of a video purportedly showing the gruesome killing and dismemberment of Chinese student Jun Lin in what appears to be Magnotta's apartment.

Legal experts speculated Monday that Magnotta's defence strategy, assuming he pleads not guilty, could include attempts to challenge the authenticity of the video and an exploration of Magnotta's mental health.

"It's something that would have to be explored right off the bat," said Ottawa-based criminal defence lawyer John Hale. "The ultimate question is: Does he suffer from a mental disorder that prevents him from knowing right from wrong?"

German authorities arrested Magnotta, 29, at an Internet cafe in Berlin Monday following a massive international manhunt. Magnotta, who has been described in various media reports as the "Butcher of Montreal" and "Canadian Psycho," is suspected of killing Lin, a Concordia University student, and sending his body parts through the mail addressed to the Conservative and Liberal party offices.

On the surface, it appears there's strong circumstantial evidence against Magnotta, Hale said Monday.

"My first approach would be to get a psychiatric assessment and, more specifically, to do it privately — in other words, not to have a court-ordered assessment but to privately retain a psychiatrist to interview him," Hale said.

This would get Magnotta into a hospital setting for several weeks, which "allows the dust to settle for a little bit" and allows for better communication between lawyer and client than at the jail, Hale said.

Further, if a court orders an assessment, everything an accused person tells a doctor has to be shared with the Crown. But if it's privately ordered anything said by the accused is protected under solicitor-client privilege.

Toronto-based lawyer John Rosen, who represented killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, said Monday the existence of a video purporting to show the actual killing will be a hurdle for Magnotta's defence team.

"It doesn't make our job easier," he said.

No doubt, defence lawyers will scrutinize the video, Rosen and other experts said. Is the video real? Does it clearly show Magnotta? Does it clearly show Lin? Is that really Magnotta's apartment?

Asked about the intense publicity the case has received in Canada, Rosen said the media has "significantly prejudiced" Magnotta's right to a fair trial. While that won't prevent a trial from happening, it will mean that jurors have to be vetted carefully to ensure they haven't formed an opinion, he said.

While a lot of attention in recent days has been paid to allegations that Magnotta was a serial cat killer, Toronto criminal lawyer Andras Schreck said he would expect defence lawyers to seek to exclude any reference to those alleged killings on the grounds that they are "not relevant" and "highly prejudicial."

Hale agreed. Evidence of "prior discreditable conduct" is only allowed in limited circumstances, he said.

"The Crown is not allowed to just throw in all sorts of evidence that portrays the accused in a really bad light."

Magnotta is reportedly scheduled to appear before a judge in Germany on Tuesday. Experts said they expect Magnotta's transfer back to Canada will take a matter of days as opposed to weeks.

Lawyers take different approaches when they meet their clients for the first time, experts said. Magnotta's lawyer might choose to wait to see all of the Crown's evidence before asking for his version of events. Or that lawyer might want to get Magnotta's story right away.

Experts were divided over whether there is a line of lawyers in Montreal eager to represent Magnotta. Some said the case may be seen as more trouble than it's worth, especially given Magnotta's apparent limited financial resources.

Others said lawyers could be drawn to the high-profile nature of the case.

Hale said whoever takes on Magnotta's case will likely have to set aside everything else on their plate for several months — and be prepared for a lot of hate mail.

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